Gambling on a Budget: Comparing Affordable Gaming Options in Las Vegas and Niagara Falls
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British Columbia is the home to 21 land-based casinos, with only one of those – Elements Casino Victoria – situated within the city borders of the province capital.
In comparison, there are more than 150 casinos in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Knowing this, it’s no surprise that Sin City is one of the top destinations for B.C.-based gamblers.
What is puzzling is that gamblers from Western Canada have also been flocking to Niagara Falls. A possible reason is that there are several affordable gaming options in this part of the world. But is Niagara Falls really more affordable from a gambler’s point of view than America’s entertainment capital?
If you want to gamble – but do so on a budget – read on as I compare the two destinations.
Even though there are gambling venues around the entire Las Vegas Valley, most tourists tend to stick to those situated on the iconic Las Vegas Strip. This is the part of Vegas with luxurious casino resorts like MGM Grand, The Venetian, and Bellagio, for which you need a hefty budget in order to have a memorable experience.
For example, the minimum bet for single-zero roulette at MGM Grand is 25 US dollars per spin. Over at Casino Niagara, the minimum stake is 15 USD. This may not seem like too big a difference, but keep in mind that a single spin of the roulette wheel takes just roughly 8 seconds.
In simple terms, if lady luck isn’t on your side, you could end up emptyhanded much faster in Vegas than in Niagara Falls. It’s pretty much the same story when it comes to other table games, as well as slots and other gambling machines.
Further, if you end up winning, you will not be required to pay any taxes in the two Niagara Falls located on the Canadian side of the border. It’s because the province of Ontario only taxes winnings made by professional gamblers, that is, those whose primary source of income is gambling.
If you plan to cross the US border, you should be aware of the 24% federal tax rate charged on winnings above $1,200 for slots, $1,500 for keno, and $5,000 for poker. For all the other gambling games, all winnings of over $600 are taxed if the payout is more than 300 times bigger than the bet.
Obviously, Niagara Falls is a much more affordable gaming option than Las Vegas, but it’s nowhere near as affordable as online gambling. To gamble online, one can do even with a micro-budget as most gambling site lets the player bet as little as only a few cents. However, for many gamblers, gambling is much more than simply playing casino games.
It’s also about the adventure a trip to the casino brings along, which explains why both Vegas and Niagara Falls remain as popular as they’ve ever been.
If you would like to visit Vegas by car, you’d need to drive over 1,258 miles. That’s still much shorter than if you wanted to drive to Niagara Falls, which is some 2,740 miles away.
If you prefer flying, Vegas is once again the more affordable option with a one-way ticket costing roughly $250 according to SkyScanner. Flying directly from Victoria to Niagara Falls is not possible; instead, you need to fly over to either Toronto or Buffalo and take a car/bus/train trip afterward. For this journey, you’d need to spend at least $350.
Once you get to your destination, you need to spend some money on accommodation, as well as food and drinks. So, which is more affordable, Vegas or Niagara? With a little help from Numbeo, I’ve created a list in which I compare prices in these two cities.
As you can see, Niagara Falls is the cheaper option, but the difference isn’t too drastic. In fact, if you avoid exclusive restaurants in Vegas, your budget will not suffer.
If you’re after affordable gambling options, Niagara Falls could be your ideal spot. The biggest downside of going there to gamble is that getting there isn’t easy, fast, or cheap. Las Vegas is much better connected to Victoria and other parts of British Colombia, which is a big plus for Sin City.
Another advantage Vegas has over Niagara Falls is that it has more than 50 times more casinos. You should keep in mind that not all of those are exclusive venues on The Strip. If you look hard enough, you should be able to find some more affordable options. That said, with a little bit of planning, your trip to Vegas might be at least as good an opportunity for gambling on a budget as Niagara Falls.
Still, neither of those is as affordable as gambling in one of the gambling locations within British Colombia. But if you really want to save up on money, the best thing you can do is to gamble online from the comfort of your own home. And if you end up winning, you will be able to afford a trip to Las Vegas or Niagara Falls, or both!
